The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-02-08
PEARL RIVER.
Renewal of the Project for It's Ces-
sion to the United States.
The Hawaiian Treaty Considered by
the u. :. Senate.


in connection with the ratification of the
treaty of reciprocity with this country. 1t
will be remembered that this proposal was
sprung upon the Senate Committee on For
eign Relations iii the preceding session of
Congress, and was the subject of CORE
spondence between the two Governments,
as well as of explanations in the Hawaiian
Legislative Assembly. Ministers at that
time made ali emphatic declaration that no
cession of Hawaiian territory would be
made to any foreign power, and this decla-
ration was in accord with public sentiment.
Nothing has since transpired. so far as the
public know, which would lead any one to
infer that change of policy had been de-
termined on. No contrary conclusion Is
warranted from subsequent executive acts.
1t is not at all likely that a Government
which has accredited Il costly Mission to
the Independent Princes and tribes of
Polynesia for the purpose Of extending its
influence among them would set an exam
pie of weakness al home by permitting the
establishment of ii foreign power in a COM
handing position on Hawaiian territory.
The two things are wholly Incompatible,
Government has negotiated a loan in Lon
don. We assume that the Hawaiian Gov
eminent has not changed front upon that
point at all events. Following are the
items of news on the subject in the Califor
MIA exchanges TO hand yesterday by the
Claus Spreckels:
WAsHINGToN, January 19th-The Senate
was in executive session the greater part of
the day considering the new Hawaiian
treaty. The new treaty extends for seven
years from the date of its ratification the
provisions of the existing treaty, which ex-
PRED several years ago, but which cOntin-
ueS in force ad libitum until one or the
other of the two parties gives notice of
desire TO abrOgate it.
a motion was made in the Senate to-day
to amend the treaty by fixing on an island
in Pearl River HarbOr as naval and coal
ing station, over which the United States
should have exclusive jurisdiction, subject
to the laws of the Hawaiian Government.
The debate continued several hours and
without dividing the Senate upon party
lines. Morrill,, Chairman of the Finance
Committee, who has always been opposed
w lllC OtO tIColN 1OOShl lliC new lICotl
bitterly. Sherman favored it. The ques-
ton seemed to be whether the political adj
vantages of the instrument offset the COM
mercial losses under it, and the friends of
the treaty quoted to advantage the recon-
mendatiOn of the President and Secretary
of State in its favor. Senators Williams
and Stanford favor the treaty, but the atti
tude of the Oregon Senators was not dis
closed. Neither Senators Jones or Fair of
Nevada were present. 1t is impossible to
accurately predict the fate of the treaty,
but the general opinion seems to be that it
will be ratified
WASHINGTON, January 22d.-In the House
of Representatives this afternoon, Wallace
of Louisiana offered a resolution, which
was adopted, reciting that the President
and Senate have agreed to and ratified the
convention by which the terms OF the
treaty between the United States and the
Government of the Hawaiian Islands has
been extended seven years, and that the
treaty contains provisions for the admls-
sion of certain articles free of duty, and
instructing the Committee on Judiciary to
inquire into the facts and report to the
~
right of duty to be imposed on any article
can be valid and binding without the CON
currence of the House of Representatives
The San Francisco Bulletin" January
9th, contains long and carefully written
article under the following display head
ing: Fearl River Harbor. Proposed
Naval Station on the Island of Oahu. Of
fetal Map of the Locality. Detailed De
scription OF the Three Lochs a~d their
Channels One Side of tire Entrance Pro-
tected by an Impreguable Barrier-the
Other Crowned with Cliffs, Formidable if
Fortified" This article sets out with the
statement:
The cession of Pearl River Harbor. on
the island of Oahu, having been made
condition by the Senate to the ratification
of the Hawaiian Treaty, considerable in
terest will be manifested concerning the
harbor. map prepared from Hawaiian
Government survey, made by Surveyor
General W. ID. Alexander, and published
in 1881, supplies official details concerning
distances, depth of water in the channels.
etc. In connection with this article is
printed an engraving which shows the out
lines of the three large lochs, the Unloading
channels and the large island which sep
arates the middle and east lochs. For the
purpose of supplying better idea of the
relative size of the harbor of Honolulu and
the Pearl River HarbOr, the engraving
represents the outline of both, on the
same scale of miles The engraving is
made from tracings from the Government
map, which were drawn with great care
and accuracy and slightly reduced to con-
form with the requirements of the "Bul-
letin's' columns.
STRATEGIC VALUE OF PEARL RIVER HARBoR
Pearl River Harbor is situated on the
south side of the island and the en-
trance is about thirteen miles west of
Honolulu. The harbor is divided, as will
be seen by the accom- panying cut, into
three divisions, by a peninsular which
separates the West Loeb from the others
and bv the island of Mokuunaenue 1t is
completely land-locked. On the east there
are high and almost perpendicular bluffs.
The west side of the channel is effectively